The Explorer: Whites

Natural Whites

Bow & Arrow Sauvignon Blanc

From the winemaker: "My name is Scott Frank and Bow & Arrow is my interpretation of the Willamette Valley’s humble terroir. The most important parts of that equation are the Willamette Valley and “humble.” Our growing region is frequently approached as a grand terroir destined to produce prestigious wines with an implicit Burgundian influence. I’m honored to make wine here. Still, the valley I know and love is as much a blue-collar agricultural area as it is a boutique wine destination. It’s as much a collection of relatively simple, clay dominated soils as it is home to multi-generation family estates and renowned AVA’s. Bow & Arrow uses a different template to explore this different, simpler side of the Willamette Valley. Instead of Burgundy, we pay homage to the refreshing and decidedly working class wines of France’s Loire Valley.”

Sfera Macerato

From the winemaker: “A slightly chilled down liter bottle with a crown cap is just the thing for an apertivo or an impromptu dinner. We’ve been searching for the right PortoVino producer for Italian liters for a while. We knew we wanted with buckets of low alcohol deliciousness, yet not in that international glou-glou style where the soil, grape, and terroir gets washed out.”

Traditional Whites

Delinquente Wine Co. “Tuff Nutt” Bianco Pet Nat

From the winemaker: “This year’s Bianco Pet Nat so bright and clean – intense tropical and citrus fruit bursting from the glass, it just screams drink me. Perfect beady, fuzzy fizz pops in the mouth, where the fruits are present but increasingly we see more of the herbaceous, savoury, moreish characters come through. Fresh, persistent, delicious – a wine made for sunshine savouring.”

Henry Pellé Les Bornés

From the winemaker: “The perfect combination of the different areas of the Menetou-Salon region. ‘Les bornés’, which means ‘clay soil’ in Berrichon —the local dialect— is an aromatic wine. The nose is reminiscent of the grape variety and the taste is full, rich and tender. A truly pleasurable wine that will reach its fullest potential in 2 to 3 years.”

Modern Whites

François et Julien Pinon VOUVRAY "TROIS ARGILES"

About the winemaker: The wines of François and Julien Pinon are considered among the finest of Vouvray. François, a former child psychologist, took over the estate from his father in 1987, and has steadily made a name for the estate. He is a serious winemaker whose main focus is "to keep the typicity of both the appellation and the vintage" in all his wines. Julien's arrival has cemented the family's dedication to organic viticulture and minimal intervention winemaking.

Osmote Chardonnay

From the winemaker: “Our classic stainless steel Chardonnay. Coming from the great Patrician Verona Vineyard on the west shore of Cayuga Lake. Believing it better to trust nature and the process, | We take a relaxed approach in the winery.  It’s not laziness or a recklessly cavalier attitude towards the craft, but instead our conviction in the potential of the Finger Lakes terroir. “